City signals interest in Feather Bay sewage system

The Brownwood City Council signaled Tuesday that the city is interested in pursuing a proposal from the Feather Bay development to own and operate a sewer delivery system if the development builds it.

If there was no objection from the council, Mayor Bert Massey told Director of Utilities David Harris, he should tell the Feather Bay Land Development that the city is interested in the idea.

Council members did not object.

The Feather Bay Land Development wants to develop more than 2,000 lots on the south side of Lake Brownwood, Harris told council members.

Jerry Dunn, president of the development, stated in a March 7 letter to Harris that the development seeks a commitment of interest from the city.

The development would build the wastewater collection system and pump stations required to pump wastewater to the city’s collection system, Dunn stated in the letter.

The development bought the property — the 208-acre, nine-hole golf course, a 695-acre tract of undeveloped land and more than 200 platted, unsold lots in four subdivisions — from Feather Bay Partners in December, according to records in Brown County Clerk Margaret Wood’s office.

Massey said he, Brownwood Interim City Manager James Campbell and Brown County Judge Ray West met recently with the Feather Bay Land Development. “It appears for the first time that we have ownership at Feather Bay that has the finances to have staying power,” Massey said.

He said the developers “seem to understand what they’re doing. I would encourage (the council) to think about it between now and the next (council) meeting.”

Harris told the council the city has the “capacity, staff and technology” to handle owning and operating the system.

“We’re always looking for revenue sources. This project will support itself,” Harris said.

Harris proposed an $800 buy-in fee for each customer, with that money placed in an account for infrastructure needs.

One hundred houses, he said, would generate about $50,000 a year in revenue for the city.

He said a lake-area sewer collection system typically consists of a low-pressure system in which a series of pumps move sewerage from homes to the city’s sewer lines.

“Each house, essentially, has its own lift station,” Harris said.

He anticipated that council members will consider approving a letter of interest at their July 10 meeting.

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